Method and apparatus for providing a pay-for-service web site

Abstract

A web server for providing a pay-for-service web site is disclosed configured to execute an HTML front-end entry process configured for creating and storing a personal homepage for a owner. The web server is also configured to receive a fee for making the personal homepage accessible on a network.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing a pay-for-service web site comprising:
 providing a web server coupled to a computer network having a database operatively disposed within and accessible on said network; 
 providing an HTML front-end entry process associated with the web server; 
 executing an HTML front-end entry process, said HTML front-end entry process being configured to: 
 create a personal homepage for an owner; 
 store said personal home page in said database; 
 index said personal homepage in said database in a user-defined category; and 
 receive a fee from said owner for making said personal homepage accessible on said network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said personal homepage includes a description associated with said user-defined category. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further including non-textual information associated with said user-defined category. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said non-textual information includes graphics. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further including the act of indexing said personal homepage using keywords. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein said indexing includes associating said user-defined category to said keywords. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein said indexing includes associating said user-defined category to a second set of keywords. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein said graphical information is associated to an additional user-defined category. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein said personal homepage further includes personalized information. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , where said personalized information includes a URL to the owner's homepage. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further including the act of password-protecting an account associated with said owner. 
     
     
       12. A web server for providing a pay-for-service web site comprising:
 a web server coupled to a computer network having a database operatively disposed within and accessible on said network; 
 an HTML front-end entry process associated with the web server; 
 the HTML front-end entry process configured to: 
 create a personal homepage for an owner; 
 store said personal home page in said database; 
 index said personal homepage in said database in a user-defined category; and 
 receive a fee from said owner for making said personal homepage accessible on said network. 
 
     
     
       13. The web server of  claim 12  wherein said personal homepage includes a description associated with said user-defined categories. 
     
     
       14. The web server of  claim 13 , further including non-textual information associated with said user-defined category. 
     
     
       15. The web server of  claim 14 , wherein said non-textual information includes graphics. 
     
     
       16. The web server of  claim 12  further configured to index said personal homepage using keywords. 
     
     
       17. The web server of  claim 16  wherein said indexing includes associating said user-defined category to said keywords. 
     
     
       18. The web server of  claim 17  wherein said indexing includes associating said user-defined category to a second set of keywords. 
     
     
       19. The web server of  claim 18  wherein said graphical information is associated to an additional user-defined category. 
     
     
       20. The web server of  claim 12  wherein said personal homepage further includes personalized information. 
     
     
       21. The web server of  claim 20 , wherein said personalized information includes a URL to the owner's homepage. 
     
     
       22. The web server of  claim 12 , further configured to password-protect an account associated with said owner.